Haslo r



H. R. GRANT.

METHOD FOR FILING PRINTING PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED Nov. 13, 1919.

,41 5 ,629. Patented May 9, 1922.

pa rs HARLO RQ GRANT, or CHICAGO,

METHOD FOR FILING PRINTING PLATES.

' Application filed November is, 1819.

To (ZZZ whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, Herero R. GRAN-r, a citizen of the United States, residing at hicago, in'the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods for Filing Printing Plates, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in means andmethod for filing-printing plates. The objects of my invention are First: to provide a novel method of storing printing plates whereby the plates will be protected against dust and dirt and me chanical injury.

Second: to provide a method of the character described which will permit the cuts to be filed and indexed so that they may be easily located when desired.

Third: toprovide means of the character described which will require a minimum amount of space and which is economicalto manufacture; Y Fourth to provide a novel method of storing or filing printing plates whereby they are protected against warping. I

Other objects will definitely appear as this description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation disclosing'a plurality of the files which I employ-in carrying out my method and which are housed in a suitable'casing or cabinet, this view disclosing a front end elevation of the files; I

Figure 2 is a plan view on anenlarged scale of one of my improved files, the cover being partially open to disclose the manner in which the plates are filed;

Figure. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a broken longitudinal section on line H of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a broken longitudinal section showing a modified form of file; and s Figure 6 is a plan view showing another modified form of file, portions thereof being broken away.

Throughout the specification similar reference characters will be used for referring to similar parts.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, it has been customary in large printing establish- Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented ma 9,1922.-

Seria1No.337,853. v

ments to file printing manner, the plates belng storedaway in a horizontal position, one'on top of the other in boxes, various sorts of files, $120,110 attempt being made to prevent'mechaniea'l injury of the printing surface of the'plateby preventing this surface from being struck by adjacent plates, and to secure even exposure of the surface of the wooden backing to the air, to insure the cuts against warpin Furthermore, so far as I ,am aware, no. means have ever been provided where the plates can be'thoroughly indexed so as to make'it easy to locate any given platewhen it is desired. The are as stated above, to correct these defects in prior storage method.

Another object of my invention is to pro-- vide a method of storing the plates so that any desired plate can be easily and quickly selected from' a plurality in the same container. j

Referring to the drawings, the reference,- character 1O indicates a casing 'orcabinet which can be constructed in-any desired manner, but which ispreferably made in sections which can be superimposed upon each other plates in a haphazard no attempt being made of plates filedto form a vertical cabinet-of'a pluralityof units. The reference characters 11' indicate a plurality of my' improved fileswhicln'as shown," are constructed so that they may. be assembled in the cabinet on edge, as illustrated in Figure 1, be referred to later on.

Thefile illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4' 1 comprises'a' bottom piece 12, side, pieces 13,

a front end piece'lt and a rear end piece 15, which together form arectangular file which may be closed by the cover 16. The upper edges of the side pieces 13 are flanged inwardly as shown at 17,- and the flanges are then bent outwardly upon themselves, as shown at 18, thereby providing a slidewa for the overturned edges 19 of the cover, this slide serving to venting its forw the file.

support the cover and preard end from dropping into The forward end of the cover for a reason which will I may be bent upon itself, as shown at 20, to i provide a stiffening'member and the rear end may be similarly conformed or a stiffeningbar 21 may be secured thereto in any desirable manner. a The forward end of the file is preferably provided with a handle or finger piece 22 by means of which the 70 objects of my invention, y

file can be withdrawn from the cabinet and is also provided with acardholder 23 for receiving a suitable indexing card or label.

With the construction just described the iirinting plates 2e may be placed in the files in edgewise vertically superimposed relation, the files being sufiiciently deep to leave a space between the wooden backings of the plates and the bottom of the file, thereby permitting even distribution of air over the back sides of the plates, and thereby insuring even drying the wooden baekings, so that the plates will not warp. Furthermore, each lower plate acts as a support having a horizontal upper surface for each oi the plates superimposed thereon, whereby the superimposed plates are supported substantially vertically, so that there will be no tendency for these plates to warp, as there would be it they were stored in an inclined position. Furthermore, by storing the plates in superimposed relation, as described, with their printing 'faces exposed-when the cover is opened, each plate is visible so that it can be readily located and removed from the file without disturbing the remaining plates for the purpose of locating that )articular plate. With my particular means and method for storing plates there is no danger whatever oi the printing surfaces of the plates being ruined by being brought into contact with adjacent plates. Other advantages will readily occur o those having knovdedge of the printing art and ot' the methods which are now used for storing plates for future use.

Figure 5 shows a modified form of file in which the rear end of the file is not provided with an integral closure, but in which he cover 16 is provided with a flange for closing the rear end or" the file. Y ith this construction when the file is withdrawn from the cabinet and the cover is completely re moved the plates can be removed "from the file simply by bringing the bottom of the file into a position fiush with an imposing; stone, or any other suitable surface, and sliding the plates from the file onto the stone. The plates may also be returned to the file by the reverse of this process. The cover 16 is provided with an opening 2-6 for receiving a finger for the purpose of opening the cover.

The construction illustrated in Figure 6 shows a modified form of the cover 16 shown in Figure 5. With a construction similar to that shown in Figure 5 it is pos sible that in pulling upon the handle or knob 22 to remove thefile from the cabinet the weight and inertia of the plates might be sufficient to cause the cover 16 to remain in the cabinet as the file is being withdrawn, thereby permitting the plates-to slide from the rear end of the file or possibly to drop out of the file. In the embodiment shown in Figure 6 the front end 01 the cover is provided with a projection 22 having opening therein for receiving a finger. This projection, when the cover 16 is closed, projects through a suitably shaped slot in the iront end of the tile and forms a handle or fingerhold by means of which the file can be withdrawn from the cabinet. Since the force exerted upon the file to remove it from the cabinet'is transferred through the projection 22 there will be no chance tor the cover 1b to open rearwardly.

It will be noted that the covers of my improved files all open rearwardly, which makes it possible to inspect the contents of the file before it is entirely withdrawn from the cabinet.

.Vith the construction embodying the ideas above described it ispossible to so index the the files that any given plate desired can be readily located with a n inimum expenditure of time and energy, and at the-same time the plates are thoroughly protected against mechanical injury, (bust and warping.

While the files and cabinet may be constructed of any suitable material, I prefer to have them constructed of metal because of its fireproot qualities, and because it can be economically employed in the manufacture of the files.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desirev to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

The method of preserving printing cuts, which comprises arra-ngingsaid cuts in vertical superimposed relation, and confining.

them in a narrow container so as to leave a slight air space between the backs oiv said cuts and the adjacent walls of the container. in witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 3d day of November, 1919.

HARLO R. GRAlll.

EVitnesses MARY A. Coon,

ANDREW WINTERCORN. 

